A Maitland landmark has passed another milestone.Built in 1885, the Thurston House is now a bed-and-breakfast inn run as a partnership between the city of Maitland and innkeeper Carole Ballard.In September, the Thurston House marked its fifth anniversary as a bed-and-breakfast with a birthday cake celebration.The vacant house had become a neighborhood eyesore and target for vandalism when the city bought it and its lakefront grounds in 1988.Several years passed before Maitland leased it to Joe and Carole Ballard, who restored and decorated it with antiques and furniture from their former house in Worcester, Mass.

MAITLAND - Tucked away and surrounded by towering trees is a classic piece of Maitland's past and the source of fierce debate about the city's future. Built in 1885 as a getaway for wealthy businessman Cyrus B. Thurston of Minneapolis, the Thurston House has been restored, furnished with antiques and operated by Joe and Carole Ballard as a bed-and-breakfast since 1992. The couple, who live and work at the four-bedroom Queen Anne Victorian house at 851 Lake Ave., now want to buy it. They say they have invested at least $200,000 and lots of sweat renovating the house, which had become a neighborhood eyesore and a target for vandalism.

W hen Carole Ballard and her husband, Joe, first saw the big Victorian house on Lake Eulalia in Maitland, they felt at home right away: They hailed from New England, and this was "New England with palm trees," Carole Ballard recalls. They were moving to Maitland because of Joe's work, and they hoped to open the bed and breakfast they had talked about ever since they stayed in one on their honeymoon, in France. I'll bet lots of folks stay in a cozy inn and dream of running one someday, of baking scones and serving tea and chatting with guests over breakfast.

Carole Ballard said she felt she was Alice in Wonderland the moment she set eyes on Thurston House in Maitland.Looking for an old house that she could convert into a bed and breakfast enterprise, Ballard, 38, found her dream one sunny day three years ago.''What a breathtaking view,'' Ballard recalls she said to herself. ''I saw it from a distance, and it was too good to be true. The closer I got, I could see the house was vacant and there was plenty of work needed to be done. But, yes, this was perfect.

I WAS disappointed in your May 5 recommendation that the city of Maitland hold off on the sale of Thurston House. I believe that your decision was made using only information from the opposition. If someone had called me, I could have clarified some of the information so you could have made an informed decision. Yes, the city has more than $300,000 invested in the property. We have more than $200,000 of our life's savings invested. The city also has put more than $400,000 into the Waterhouse Residence, a house-museum open to the public.

MAITLAND - Innkeepers leasing the century-old Thurston House and running a bed-and-breakfast there want to buy the house from the city, but voters will have to approve the deal first.If approved by voters in February, the Thurston House, 851 Lake Ave., would be the first Heritage Lands property to be sold to a private buyer.Innkeepers Joe and Carole Ballard said they are willing to pay ``fair market value less the fair market value'' of their renovations. So far, they have spent about $200,000 fixing up the four-bedroom inn, Carole Ballard said.

I WAS rather disappointed about your recommendation to the citizens of Maitland to vote "No" on the sale of the Thurston House. I believe that you should have more facts than those from a few people. I had the opportunity to go through the Thurston House before it was taken over by Joe and Carole Ballard. It was a mess. The city maintained only the exterior to keep it from looking like an eyesore. Yes, the city has spent $300,000-plus, but the Ballards have spent more than $200,000 and have poured hours of sweat and tears, too numerous to put into dollar amounts, into Thurston House to make it what it is today -- a historical landmark that the citizens of Maitland can be very proud of. The Ballards had an option to buy the house, and they are exercising that option.

MAITLAND - The innkeepers leasing the century-old Thurston House have put off their request to buy the city landmark for now.Joe and Carole Ballard have leased the house from the city, lived in it and run a bed-and-breakfast there since 1992. They have said buying the two-story classic Queen Anne Victorian four-bedroom house at 851 Lake Ave. always had been their intent.But because the property is considered ``heritage lands,'' as are other city-owned properties designated for recreational, cultural or preservation purposes, it cannot be sold without voter approval.

MAITLAND - Innkeepers leasing the century-old Thurston House and running a bed-and-breakfast there want to buy the house from the city, but voters will have to approve the deal first.That's because of a charter amendment that was passed in 1990 to protect city property that is designated Heritage Lands.Former Mayor Homer Hough, who spearheaded the successful drive for the amendment, hopes voters will turn down the proposal to sell.``I'm very opposed to it,'' Hough said. ``What remained of old Maitland has been forfeited, sacrificed, given away.

Voters in six other Orange County cities besides Orlando went to the polls Tuesday to elect new mayors, city commissioners and decide other issues. Here's a city-by-city look at the results: WINTER PARK John Eckbert won a spot on the Winter Park City Commission, replacing Kenneth ``Kip'' Marchman, who left his seat earlier this year in an unsuccessful run for mayor. Eckbert, an investment banker, got 2,742 votes or 54.3 percent, to defeat Stockton Reeves, owner of a market-research company, who got 2,308 votes or 45.7 percent.

I WAS disappointed in your May 5 recommendation that the city of Maitland hold off on the sale of Thurston House. I believe that your decision was made using only information from the opposition. If someone had called me, I could have clarified some of the information so you could have made an informed decision. Yes, the city has more than $300,000 invested in the property. We have more than $200,000 of our life's savings invested. The city also has put more than $400,000 into the Waterhouse Residence, a house-museum open to the public.

MAITLAND - Tucked away and surrounded by towering trees is a classic piece of Maitland's past and the source of fierce debate about the city's future. Built in 1885 as a getaway for wealthy businessman Cyrus B. Thurston of Minneapolis, the Thurston House has been restored, furnished with antiques and operated by Joe and Carole Ballard as a bed-and-breakfast since 1992. The couple, who live and work at the four-bedroom Queen Anne Victorian house at 851 Lake Ave., now want to buy it. They say they have invested at least $200,000 and lots of sweat renovating the house, which had become a neighborhood eyesore and a target for vandalism.

I WAS rather disappointed about your recommendation to the citizens of Maitland to vote "No" on the sale of the Thurston House. I believe that you should have more facts than those from a few people. I had the opportunity to go through the Thurston House before it was taken over by Joe and Carole Ballard. It was a mess. The city maintained only the exterior to keep it from looking like an eyesore. Yes, the city has spent $300,000-plus, but the Ballards have spent more than $200,000 and have poured hours of sweat and tears, too numerous to put into dollar amounts, into Thurston House to make it what it is today -- a historical landmark that the citizens of Maitland can be very proud of. The Ballards had an option to buy the house, and they are exercising that option.

MAITLAND - The innkeepers leasing the century-old Thurston House have put off their request to buy the city landmark for now.Joe and Carole Ballard have leased the house from the city, lived in it and run a bed-and-breakfast there since 1992. They have said buying the two-story classic Queen Anne Victorian four-bedroom house at 851 Lake Ave. always had been their intent.But because the property is considered ``heritage lands,'' as are other city-owned properties designated for recreational, cultural or preservation purposes, it cannot be sold without voter approval.

MAITLAND - Innkeepers leasing the century-old Thurston House and running a bed-and-breakfast there want to buy the house from the city, but voters will have to approve the deal first.If approved by voters in February, the Thurston House, 851 Lake Ave., would be the first Heritage Lands property to be sold to a private buyer.Innkeepers Joe and Carole Ballard said they are willing to pay ``fair market value less the fair market value'' of their renovations. So far, they have spent about $200,000 fixing up the four-bedroom inn, Carole Ballard said.

W hen Carole Ballard and her husband, Joe, first saw the big Victorian house on Lake Eulalia in Maitland, they felt at home right away: They hailed from New England, and this was "New England with palm trees," Carole Ballard recalls. They were moving to Maitland because of Joe's work, and they hoped to open the bed and breakfast they had talked about ever since they stayed in one on their honeymoon, in France. I'll bet lots of folks stay in a cozy inn and dream of running one someday, of baking scones and serving tea and chatting with guests over breakfast.

Unlike many couples, Joe and Carole Ballard can think of nothing nicer than having visitors, especially since the guests will be paying to stay at their house.The Ballards are renovating the historic Thurston House at 851 Lake Ave. to convert it into a bed-and-breakfast inn. They have spent $200,000 to restore the two-story classic Queen Anne Victorian home.The renovations are almost done as the house gets one last coat of paint and screens along the outside porches.Carole Ballard, a former marketing specialist, is using this time to sort through her recipes.

MAITLAND - Innkeepers leasing the century-old Thurston House and running a bed-and-breakfast there want to buy the house from the city, but voters will have to approve the deal first.That's because of a charter amendment that was passed in 1990 to protect city property that is designated Heritage Lands.Former Mayor Homer Hough, who spearheaded the successful drive for the amendment, hopes voters will turn down the proposal to sell.``I'm very opposed to it,'' Hough said. ``What remained of old Maitland has been forfeited, sacrificed, given away.

A Maitland landmark has passed another milestone.Built in 1885, the Thurston House is now a bed-and-breakfast inn run as a partnership between the city of Maitland and innkeeper Carole Ballard.In September, the Thurston House marked its fifth anniversary as a bed-and-breakfast with a birthday cake celebration.The vacant house had become a neighborhood eyesore and target for vandalism when the city bought it and its lakefront grounds in 1988.Several years passed before Maitland leased it to Joe and Carole Ballard, who restored and decorated it with antiques and furniture from their former house in Worcester, Mass.